TITLE
title
DHHS-PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION: WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES ANTIMICROBIAL-RESISTANT GONORRHEA CONTRACT - $477,048
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SPONSOR
sponsor
Dr. Iulia Vann
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BACKGROUND
background
With funding from the North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services - Epidemiology/Communicable Disease Branch, the Guilford County Department of Health & Human Services - Public Health Division has established a health trends research contract with Wake Forest University Health Sciences. Together, Wake Forest and Guilford County are researching drug-resistant gonorrhea. Wake Forest will collaborate with Guilford Public Health team to enhance the lab's capacity, pilot new methods for gonorrhea resistance testing, and develop novel strategies for rapid response to antimicrobial-resistant gonorrhea.
The Strengthening the U.S. Response to Resistant Gonorrhea (SURRG) is a project initiated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to combat the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea. The main goals of the SURRG project are to enhance surveillance and detection of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea, improve laboratory capacity to detect resistance, and develop rapid response strategies to control and prevent the spread of resistant strains.
Key components of the SURRG project include:
1. Enhanced Surveillance: Collecting and analyzing data on gonorrhea cases to identify trends and patterns in resistance.
2. Improved Laboratory Capacity: Increasing the ability of state and local laboratories to test for antibiotic resistance in gonorrhea.
3. Rapid Response: Implementing strategies to quickly respond to and contain outbreaks of resistant gonorrhea.
4. Research and Collaboration: Partnering with health departments, academic institutions, and other organizations to conduct research and develop new methods for detecting and responding to resistant gonorrhea.
The SURRG project involves multiple jurisdictions across the United States, working together to gather data, share findings, and develop best practices for managing and controlling antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea. This collaborative effort is crucial for addressing the public health challenge posed by resistant gonorrhea and ensuring effective treatment options remain available. The project was initiated in 2017 in eight (8) jurisdictions across United States, including Guilford County. At the movement, only four (4) jurisdictions are still part of the initiative.
The SURRG collaborative has tested 53,373 specimens for gonorrhea, with 2,623 undergoing sensitivity testing. From July 2023 through March 2024, 8,820 specimens have been collected and tested.
The contract, totaling $477,048, will be in effect from June 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025. This marks the eighth year of funding. Efforts to identify and treat resistant gonorrhea have been successful, as the resistant strains were promptly identified and treated immediately.
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BUDGET IMPACT
budget impact
NO ADDITIONAL COUNTY FUNDS REQUIRED
FUNDS COMMENSURATE WITH ADOPTION OF FY2024-25 BUDGET
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REQUESTED ACTION
requested action
Approve contract with Wake Forest University Health Sciences, in substantial form, in the amount of $477,048, to be effective for the period June 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025, for a health trends research contract. Funding will be awarded to Guilford County through the NCDHHS Communicable Disease Branch.
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